The merit list of the selected candidates will be announced in March as per an official statement by the Indian Space Research Organisation.

Those currently studying in 9th standard will be eligible for the programme.

New Delhi:

The Young Scientist Programme or the Yuva Vigyani Karyakram (YUVIKA) was announced by ISRO in January. The merit list of the selected candidates will be announced in March as per an official statement by the Indian Space Research Organisation. The programme aims to inculcate the space research fervor among students who are currently enrolled in class 9. On January 18, ISRO Chairman K Sivan had announced that through this programme over 100 students from across India will be given a practical experience of building satellites.

The initiative, chalked to attract young minds and arouse interest in this niche arena, is conceptualised on the lines of a similar programme run by American space agency NASA.

"We want them to get a practical experience of building a small satellite. If the satellites are good, we want them to fly," Mr Sivan had said, then.

"The residential training programme will be of around two weeks duration during summer holidays and it is proposed to select 3 students each from each State/ Union Territory to participate in this programme every year covering CBSE, ICSE and State syllabus," reads the official statement.

"The selection is based on the academic performance and extracurricular activities, which is clearly mentioned in the selection criteria already circulated to Chief Secretaries of States/ Administrators of UTs," it said, adding, special weightage in the selection criteria will be given to students belonging to rural area.